The Moncione Mill is the largest on Elba
The Moncione Mill was the largest in Elba, created with a horizontal water wheel, later expanded and modified to a vertical wheel. In practice, a new mill was built attached to the previous one (the south-west part), with new mechanical rooms, new gears and a new vertical cassette wheel. Using only the barrel of the previous structure (after hydraulic modifications) and little more.
Descriptive sign of the Mill of Moncione
It is the largest and most beautiful mill on Elba. Originally of small size, it had a horizontal water wheel (Retrécine) whose axis was integral with the upper element of the millstone, which ran with a circular motion on the underlying fixed portion. It is still visible the vaulted room where the port was placed (carcinaio) and the room above with the millstones. Between 1880 and 1890 the mill was enlarged with the introduction of a large vertical cassette wheel and a complex system of gears to multiply its speed; in this way, production was increased up to 4 quintals per hour.
The wheel axle – a 12 quintal piece
The gears were transported on the back of a donkey, while the wheel axle – a single piece weighing 12 quintals – was carried partly on a cart and partly dragged by hand. The Sanpieresi who had collaborated in the undertaking were then invited to a big party held in Moncione for the inauguration of the structure. The grain was transported to the mill on the back of a donkey, and on the return journey the flour, the fruit of so much effort, was brought home.
The mill stopped working around 1910. In 1935, during the African War, the iron parts (gears and axle) were resold for 270 lire. The building is still intact; the drain, the penstock and the rooms for grinding the grain are still visible.
Water mill
Barrel : collection tank for the water necessary for the operation of the mill, it is channeled and collected in a reservoir called a “barrel”. The barrel, delimited by masonry walls or earth embankments and having the bottom inclined towards the mill, constitutes a reserve of water that allows to keep the difference in level constant, between the surface of the water and the water wheel, allowing a of adjustable grinding.
Ritrécine : Wooden wheel with blades which, moved by the force of falling water, allows the rotary movement of the grinder in water mills.
Bottaccio : contains the retrecine and is where the water comes out, at the end of its hydraulic course inside the mill.
How to reach the Moncione Mill
The mill can be reached from San Piero in about 30/40 minutes on foot, following the paths in the realm of granite. Otherwise in 20/25 minutes of walking, from bollecaldaie (reachable by car), locality above cavoli.